AVIATION ROUTINE WEATHER REPORTS (METAR) …

1 AVIATION ROUTINE WEATHER REPORTS (METAR) AVIATION ROUTINE WEATHER REPORTS (METAR) AVIATION ROUTINE WEATHER REPORTS (METAR) AVIATION ROUTINE WEATHER REPORTS (METAR) AVIATION ROUTINE WEATHER REPORTS (METAR) WEATHER observations made hourly at selected airports are coded to internationalstandards. REPORTS may be prepared manually or by automated equipment. EachMETAR report contains the following sequence of elements which are explained below:METAR KPIT 091955Z COR 22015G25KT 3/4SM R28/2600FT +TSRA OVC010CB 18/16 A2992 RMKRAB5012345 6789101112 Figure 3-21. Type of report (METAR - ROUTINE hourly report or SPECI - special report ).2. Station Designator (K indicates contiguous ).

2 3. Date (2 digits) and Time (4 digits, UTC) of COR indicates corrected report ; AUTO indicates automated observation; omitted if manual Wind (3 digits true direction, 2-3 digits for speed. G indicates gust followed by 2-3 digit speed, KTindicates knots. Variable direction indicated by VRB. Calm indicated by 00000KT. If wind directionvaries by 60 or more, range of direction appended, 180V260).6. Prevailing Visibility (SM indicates statue miles).7. Runway Visual Range (if reported, Runway designator/4 digit value in feet).8. WEATHER and Obstructions to Visibility (See Figure 3-3).9. Sky Condition (Cloud amount, height, and type. See Fig 3-4).

3 10. Temperature and Dew Point (In degrees Celsius. M indicates negative value).11. Altimeter Setting (Inches of mercury ).12. RMK indicates remarks . (Added when observer deems necessary ). WEATHER AND OBSTRUCTIONS TO VISIBILITYQUALIFIERI ntensity (Applies only to precipitation, not descriptor)- Light(None) Moderate + HeavyDescriptorM I Shallow B CPatches P RPartial T SThunderstormB L Blowing S HShowers D RDrifting F ZFreezingProximityV C Vicinity, but not at airport (between 5 and 10SM from airport). WEATHER PHENOMENAP recipitationD Z Drizzle R ARain S NSnow SGSnow grainsIC Ice crystals P EIce pellets G RHail G S Small hail/snow pelletsU P Unknown precipitation in automated observationsObscurationB R Mist (Vis >5/8SM) F GFog (Vis <5/8SM) F USmoke V AVolcanic ashSA Sand H Z Haze PYSpray D UWidespread dustOtherS Q Squall SSSandstorm D SDuststorm P OWell developedF C Funnel cloud + F CTornado/waterspoutdust/sand whirlsFigure 3-3 SKY CONDITIONS K C - Sky Clear (CLR used if AUTO report to indicate clear below 12,000 feet)

4 F E W - Few (<1/8 to 2/8 coverage)S C T - Scattered (3/8 to 4/8 coverage)BKN*-Broken (5/8 to 7/8 coverage)OVC*-Overcast (8/8 coverage)V V * - Vertical visibilty in 100's of feet (clouds obscured)Cloud bases reported by three digits in hundreds of feet cumulus (TCU) or Cumulonimbus (CB) are reported if present.* Constitutes a ceilingFigure 3-4 The METAR shown in Figure 3-2 is decoded as follows:METARR outine hourly reportKPITP ittsburgh091955Z9th day of month, 1955 UTCCORC orrected observation22015G25 KTWind from 220 true direction at 15 knots, maximum gusts to 25knots3/4 SMVisibility 3/4 statute mileR28/2600 FTRunway 28 visibility range 2,600 feet+TSRAT hunderstorm, heavy rainOVC010 CBOvercast, cumulonimbus clouds, bases at 1,000 feet AGL18/16 Temperature 18 C, dew point 16 CA2992 Altimeter setting "HgRMK RAB50 Remarks: Rain began at 1950 ZExamples of REMARKS.

5 R E Recent WEATHER eventsRAB20 Rain began at 20 minutes past the hourSNE45 Snow ended at 45 minutes past the hourWS TKO RW04 Wind shear reported during takeoff from runway 4WS LDG RW27 Wind shear reported during landing on runway 27PK WND 22030/18 Peak wind from 220 at 30 knots. Observed at 18 minutes pastthe hourSLP045 Sea level pressure hPaT01820159 Temperature C, dew point C$Automated equipment in need of maintenanceMETAR/TAF ABBREVIATIONSA O 1 Automated Observationwithout precipitation dis-criminator (rain/snow)A O 2 Automated Observationwith precipitation dis-criminator (rain/snow)A M D Amended Forecast (TAF)BECMGB ecoming (expectedbetween 2 digit beginninghour and 2 digit endinghour)B K N Broken (5/8 to 7/8 cloudcoverage)C L R Clear at or below 12,000feet (AWOS/ASOS reportonly)C O R Correction to observationF E W Few (<1/8 to 2/8 cloud cov-erage)

6 F M From (4 digit beginningtime in hours and min-utes)L D G LandingM In temperature fieldmean minus (below zero)M In RVR listing indicatesvisibility less than low-est reportable sensorvalue ( M600FT = lessthan 600 feet)N O Not available ( , RVRNO)N S W No Significant WeatherO V C Overcast (8/8 cloud cov-erage)P In RVR indicates visibil-ity greater than highestreportable sensor value( P6000FT = greaterthan 6000 feet)P6 SMVisibility greater than 6SM (TAF only)PROB30 Probability 30 to 39 per-cent (precipitation fore-casts)PROB40 Probability 40 to 49 per-cent (precipitation fore-casts)R Runway (in RVR REPORTS )R E Recent WEATHER events(in remarks)R M K RemarkF G Fog (Visibility less than5/8SM)F U SmokeG R HailG S Small Hail/Snow PelletsH Z HazeIC Ice CrystalsP E Ice PelletsP O Dust/Sand WhirlsP Y SprayR A RainSA SandS G Snow GrainsS N SnowS Q SquallSS SandstormU P Unknown Precipitation(automated observa-tions)

7 V A Volcanic AshCLOUD TYPESC B CumulonimbusCBMAM CumulonimbusMammatusT C U Towering CumulusA C C Altocumulus CastellanusSCSLS tratocumulus StandingLenticularACSLA ltocumulus StandingLenticularCCSLC irrocumulus StandingLenticularASOS/AWOS CODESRVRNORVR missingPWINOP recipitation identifierinformation not availableP N O Precipitation amount notavailableFZRANOF reezing rain infor-mation not availableTSNOT hunderstorm informa-tion not availableVISNO [loc]Visibility at sec-ondary location [loc] notavailableCHINO [loc] (cloud height indi-cator) sky condition atsecondary location [loc]not available$Maintenance needed onthe systemRY/RWYR unway (in WS re-ports)S C T Scattered (3/8 to 4/8 cloudcoverage)S K C Sky ClearS L P Sea Level Pressure (inhPa)S M Statute mile(s)SPECIS pecial ReportTEMPOT emporary changes ex-pected (between 2 digitbeginning hour and 2digit ending hour)TKOFT akeoffV Varies (wind direction orRVR)V C Vicinity (5SM or more,10SM or less from air-port)V R B Variable wind directionwhen speed is 6 knots orlessV V Vertical Visibility (Indefi-nite ceiling)

8 W S Wind Shear (in TAF, lowlevel and not associatedwith convective activityINTENSITY MODIFIERS"-" Light"+" Heavy(none)ModerateDESCRIPTORSB C PatchesB L BlowingD R Low DriftingFZ FreezingM I ShallowP R PartialS H ShowersTS ThunderstormWEATHER PHENOMENAB R Mist (Visibility from5/8SM to 6SM)D S Dust StormD U Widespread DustD Z DrizzleF C Funnel Cloud+ F C Tornado or Water Spout)